The Escalator
Claire and Phil were on the hotel escalator. Claire had taken off her clothes under her coat to surprise Phil.
"Phil, my coat is stuck," Claire said with panic.
"Who's Phil?" Phil asked, still in character.
"No, not now!" Claire shouted.
The coat got caught in the escalator. The escalator stopped. Claire was trapped, her coat stretched out, unable to move.
"Honey, take off your coat!" Phil said.
"Are you kidding me?" Claire shouted.
A crowd began to gather. Everyone was watching.
"Happy Valentine's Day. You look lovely," a woman said.
"You too. Not in a weird way," Claire replied with embarrassment.
Tom Mickleson from Phil's office approached with his wife.
"Claire, do you remember Tom Mickleson from the office and his wife Susan?" Phil said with a forced smile.
"Yes. Hi," Claire said with embarrassment.
"Did you get your coat stuck?" Tom asked.
"Yes, I really did. It's really in there good," Claire replied.
"Why don't you take it off?" Susan asked.
"I'm freezing," Claire lied.
Principal Balaban, Luke's school principal, appeared.
"Mr. and Mrs. Dunphy? Who is Clive Bixby?" the principal asked.
"Oh, he makes speakers. He's actually in town for a trade show," Phil said.
"Phil," Claire said with warning.
Luke's math teacher, Mrs. Passwater, also appeared.
"Mrs. Dunphy? Are you okay?" Mrs. Passwater asked.
"I'm fine!" Claire shouted with false cheerfulness.
Gloria and Jay appeared on the escalator.
"Claire? Phil? What happened?" Gloria asked.
"My coat got stuck," Claire said with embarrassment.
"Why don't you take it off?" Gloria asked.
"Because I have nothing on underneath," Claire whispered.
Gloria understood. Without hesitation, she took off her own coat and put it on Claire.
"Take mine," Gloria said.
"And you?" Claire asked.
"I have nothing to hide," Gloria replied with a smile.
Of course, as they exchanged coats, it was a somewhat scandalous scene. They were basically pressed together and rubbing against each other under Gloria's coat while she freed Claire. And the person enjoying it the most was Phil, in the front row.
Claire freed herself from her stuck coat and put on Gloria's. She was free.
"Thank you, Gloria," Claire said with gratitude.
"You're welcome. That's what family is for," Gloria replied.
The Dance Hall
Jay and Gloria were in the salsa dance hall. Music, dim light.
"I can't believe you left the comedy club for me," Gloria said with tenderness.
"That guy wasn't funny. And you're funnier than him," Jay replied.
"Me?" Gloria asked with surprise.
"Yes. You make me laugh every day. Not with bad jokes. Just by being you," Jay said.
Gloria smiled.
"Let's dance," Gloria said.
"Salsa?" Jay asked with fear.
"Salsa," Gloria replied.
They danced. Jay was clumsy, but Gloria didn't mind.
"I love you, Jay," Gloria said.
"I love you too, even though you have twenty-four throw pillows on the bed," Jay replied.
"The pillows are pretty," Gloria said.
"You're pretty," Jay said.
Gloria laughed. Jay did too.
The Dunphy House
Alex and I were on the porch. The same date as always. The same place. But everything was different.
"Today was a good day," Alex said with a smile.
"It was a good day," I replied.
"Thank you for the poem. For the words. For waiting," Alex said.
"There's nothing to thank," I said.
"Yes, there is. Most people don't wait. Most people want answers now. Definitions. Labels. Now. And you... you just waited," Alex said.
"Waiting isn't hard when you know it's worth it," I replied.
Alex looked at me.
"You're weird," Alex said.
"I know," I replied.
"I like it," Alex said.
"I know that too," I said.
Alex came closer. She kissed me. It wasn't like the first kiss. It was longer. More confident. Deeper.
When we pulled apart, her cheeks were red, and her eyes were shining.
"I love you, Leo," Alex said.
"I love you too," I replied.
And on the porch, with the streetlights glowing and the echo of Gloria and Jay's salsa in the distance, I knew I didn't need anything more.
Just to be.
Always to be.
With her.
The Next Morning
Phil called Claire on the phone while she was driving the kids to school. The van's Bluetooth was on.
"Hi, I just wanted to say how great you were last night," Phil said over the speaker.
"Phil..." Claire said with embarrassment.
"Sorry about the oil everywhere. But, hey... they're not our sheets, right?" Phil said.
"Phil, honey..." Claire said.
"Honey, remember when the salesman told us the Sienna was built with the whole family in mind? Well, the whole family just heard that," Claire said.
Silence.
"I guess the Bluetooth works," Phil said with shame.
"Why did you have oil?" Luke asked from the back seat.
"Because, buddy, we were making french fries," Phil lied.
"In your bedroom?" Luke asked.
"Why don't you put in a DVD?" Claire said, changing the subject.
Alex looked at me from the back seat. I was in the back with her because now we were boyfriend and girlfriend, and I could sit next to her without anyone asking why.
"Do you think we'll ever be like them?" Alex asked quietly.
"Clumsy and embarrassing?" I replied.
"In love after all those years," Alex said.
"I hope so," I replied.
Alex took my hand. No one saw us. Or maybe they did. But it didn't matter.
"Forever," Alex said.
"Forever," I replied.
And the van continued on its way, with the Dunphy chaos all around us, but we were in our own bubble.
The bubble of those who waited.
The bubble of those who were worth it.
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Claire's coat got stuck on the escalator. In her underwear. Gloria saved her.
What was more epic? Gloria's rescue or the kiss on the porch? 🧥💃💋
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